Improvement in shell-fuses



Pat e nted Feb. 14, 1871.

E. DRAKE.

Shell 'Fuse.

HER. WASHINGTON u r P ERS. PHDTO LITMOGRAP idnitrii fitairs than can.

SMITH, OF LEICESTER, MASSAGHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 111,823, dated liebruary 14, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT lN SHELL-FUSES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, ELLIs Danna, of Stoughton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulimprovcd Fuse for Shells or Projectiles; and I do hereby declare the vfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof sufficient to enable othersv skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and make the same, reference being bad to the accompariying drawing making part of this specification, in which drawing Figure l is an elevation of the devicc'in the direction of its length.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same.

Figure 3 is a top view.

Figure 4 is a top view, and v 'Figure 5 is an elevation of the circular plunger.

Figure 6 illustrates the fuse, which is of a ,somewhat conical shape.

The object of my invention is to construct and provide, at a small expense, a fuse for shells or projectiles, combining in itself the following characteristics or improvements, namely: a time, a time-regulating, a percussion, and acol'icussion-fuse within asuitable fuse-case and It consists First, in providing or forming said case upon its rear 'end with a square or angular shank, to receive-a plunger having an opening, the interior of which corresponds with the external surface of the shank of the fuse-case.

Secondly, in forming within the inner wall of a fusecase,-at its front end, two, more or less, grooves oppo site to, or nearly so, each other to receive a circular plunger formed or provided with two legs, more or less, of a size'and distance apart to readily slide within the grooves formed in the said fuse-case.

In the drawing-- The letter A designates a fuse-case, of any suitable form or construction, and made of any desired metal best adapted for the purpose.

This fuse-case is formedor provided upon its rear end with a shank, B,made either of angular or square formation, designed to receive a plunger, 0, having a circular periphery, and provided with an opening, the interior of which corresponds with the exterior surface of the said shank B.

In the shoulder, at the front end of the shank, is placed a fulminate, which will be discharged by the plunger 0 at the instant the shell strikes, the object being in making the said shank of an angularor squareformation to prevent the plunger G from revolving on the shank, thus preventing it being thrown forward and causing a premature-ignition.

If the shank of the fuse-case is made round, wabbling of the shell and centrifugal force would tend to.

throw the pluugerfoiward and cause an explosion toov soon.

The end of the shank B should be headed or other wise enlarged after the plunger 0 is placed thereon, to prevent it from being thrown off by inertia at the instant'of discharge.

The rear end of the fuse-case, at the inner junction of the shank B, is provided with a fulminate, desig-. uated by the letter f, and when the fuse is ready to be placed in the shell, the plunger 0 occupies the position shown in fig. 0, but when the shell is discharged and strikes", the plunger 0 is driven forward and comes in contact with the fuhniuate, as shown in dotted; 'lines, fig. 1.

Upon the inside wall of the front end of the fusecase are formed two, more or less, grooves, c 0, which extend down to the'top of the fuse, or nearly so, and are opposite each. other, in order to readily receive and guide the legs I) I) of the circular plunger D, which legs strike the fnlminate placed at the rear end of each of the grooves arranged within the inside wall of the fuse-case.

The circular plunger 1) is formed or provided with the legs I) 7),in order to concentrate the force of the blow at these two points, which renders the explosion more certain, and by having two points of contact it is doubly sure of ignition.

The plunger D is also provided with two openings, cl d, the former to receive a pin or rivet, c, the end of which extends up through an opening in the center of the cap F, made to screw into the front end of the fuse-case, and is slightly riveted in order to hold the plunger in position until the'shell or projectile is discharged, while the latter opening-(l is to admit air when the pin or rivet is withdrawn from thehole in the cap F, for the-purpose of supporting combustion when the fuse is ignited.

A longitudinal slot, a, is formed in the fuse-case, and is provided with a scale indicating a series of seconds or half, seconds in figures, which figures are arranged in a straight line upon either side of said slot.

This slot is arranged opposite to the surface of the fuse, and is designed to allow a knife or other suitable device to be inserted for the purpose of dividing the fuse, as will be described.

E is a fuse incascd in paper, tin-foil, or other suitable metal, for the purpose of preventing the flames from said fuse communicating with the longitudinal slot in the fusecase,'until the fuse has burned the required number of seconds, which is indicated by the scale of "figures near the slot.

In order tocommunicate the flame to the chargein the shell or projectile, a knife or other suitable device is inserted through the longitudinal slot 'into the tin-foil or other covering of the fuse at the point de- What I- claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is--.

L'The combination and arrangement of parts, as

herein shown and described, whereby a time-regulator, artime, a pereussiom'and aconcussion-fuse are contained in the same fuse-case, substantially asdescribed. y a

2. A plunger, 0, arranged loosely upon a square or bination with a fulminate upon the shoulder of said fuse-case, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Thegrooves 0'0, formed upon the inner wall of the purpose set forth.

4, The plunger 1), formed or provided with legs 74, in combination with the groove or grooves upon the plunger is connected with the described.

5. The case A, formed with the slot a, shank B, and grooves 0, in combination with the plungers '0 and I), and cap F, substantially as described. To the above I have signed my name this 4th day. of January, A. I). 1.871.

' ELLIS DRAKE.

Wit-n esses: l

J AMES L. N omns, W. H. FLNCKED.

angular shank, B, formed with a fuse-case, in com the front end of a fuse-ease, substantially as and for inner wall of the front end of a fuse-case, when said.

cap, substantially as 

